Bale grouper



A 81 13, 1943. V w A, c. JAMES 2,316,435

BALE GROUPER Filed April 27, 1942 s Sheets-:Sheet'l ATth L11 E. JamesAprifl 13, 1943. Q A gs 2,316,435

BALE GROUPER Filed April 27, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet s I ah/6 Arthur E.qnmas Patented Apr. 13, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BALE GROUPERArthur 0. James, Genoa, Ohio Application April 27, 1942, Serial No.440,681 7 1 Claim. (01..214-9) V This invention relates to assemblingarticles or bundles for deposit. This invention has utility inaccumulating bales of material from a portable pick-up type of baler.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the general assembly for this device inpractice as associated with the pick-upbaler and its tractor;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device of the invention herein,showing the elevator and pocket or receiver as trailing from a baler;

' Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view from the left of 'Fig. 2 showing the dumpgate of the pocket or receiver;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device of Fig. .2,

guides or .sides .21 over slatted elevator portion :28. These sprocketchains '25. (Fig. 6) extend over lower sprocket wheels 29 on .shaft .30having belt tightener adjustment 3| therefor.

Between these sides 21 for the elevator adjacent the lower portion thereis pivot shaft 32 for .receiving table .33 having adjustable support 34,say of turnbuckle type, to determine the location of this table as belowthat of the hinged extension III for the bale. .justment for the table33 that this be :sufiicient to :ride under the extension l even atirregularities as encountered afield. The tongue holds the arm llagainst out-of-register up-and-down movement between the extension l0and the receiving table 33. To care for this condition and for range ofdifferent types of balers, it is important to have say at least twoinches between the top of this table 33 and the bottom of the l, 8. Thisbaler, as progressed along the windrow 2 by the tractor I,'is eifectivein gathering up the growth afield, whether such be hay, soy beans, Y

alfalfa, straw, or other material. Such material as bound into bundlesor bales passes by way 9 having hinged extension I0.

Under the invention herein, from the way 8 terminal legs ll (Fig. 2) areprovided with fork 12 to ride over bolt I3 to permit automatic adbolt(Fig. 2) through an eye from the tongue l5 and a pair of clevis-likeeyes of trailer arm ll of the bundle grouper hereunder. This bundlegrouper embodies chassis l8, with which the arm i1 is fixed, and pair ofground wheels 19. Between these ground wheels t9 the chassis l8 carriesprime mover as gas engine eflective through belt 2| to drive shaft 22and through speed reduction 23 to operate shaft 24 (Figs. 4, 5) to P pelsprocket chains 25 carrying flights "betweenextension I0. The locationof the hitch connec-' tion between the tongue I5 and the trailer arm I1it is desirable be ample to care for this condition.

In the operation hereunder, this trailer connection or hitch lG'isdesirably positioned centrally of the bale discharge from the baler. Thedirecting arms H are to give the bale a straight line travel from thebaler to the elevator to be engaged by the flights 26. However, thiselevator does not extend directly rearward, but is askew so that thebale in endwise travel up this elevator, while received centrally of theelevator, is pitched to reach the top at the upper left and strikeprojecting guide or cam 35. This has a retardin or delaying action forthis side or end of the bale, while-the flight 26 as carrying the baleupward tends to orient or turn the bale, so that the bale, in leavingthe elevator and striking roller 36, tends sidewise to roll down incline31 of pocket having sides 38 and to lodge against discharge gate39having top hinge 40. This pocket, receiver or chute has its gate 39normally held closed by cross bar 4i riding under nose #2 into notch 43of catch arm 44 on pivot 45. This catch arm 44 1 has angle arm 46projecting therefrom with tension spring 41 normally holding the armagainst stop 48, thereby to be in receiving position to engage the ,gate39 as swinging down by gravity so the bale accumulatlonmay dischargeafield.

As such bales'roll out. the gate-39 drops back by It is also importantin this adgravity for the bar 4| to ride under the nose I! and lodge inthe notch 43; there to be held tor a later accumulation as the courseafield is conlike having a rearward horizontally extending wayjor asuccession or completed bales to pass endwise therealong, of a balegrouper trailer hav ing vertical axis connection centrally of the way,an elevator supported adjacent said connection directed in its ascent toone side of the. direction '01 said was. deflection means mounted nearthe upper portion of the elevator and toward which the .way is directedfor supplementing elevator operation to orient the bales or the likefrom endwise to sidewise direction of progress, and a chute receiver forthe bales or the like as they approach sidewise direction of progress.

ARTHUR 0. JAMES.

